High-efficiency water heater dip tube and method for reducing turbulence in water heaters

A water heater dip tube for improving efficiency, comprising:

• a wall having orifices formed therein for conducting an outflow of relatively colder water from the dip tube into relatively hotter water in an interior of a water heater, said wall including a distal horizontal portion;
• said orifices having a size, number, shape, pattern and location for at least minimizing turbulence, for reducing admixing near the tube, for diluting, equalizing and blending efflux flow and for reducing outflow force and speed;
• and
• said orifices being non-laminar flow, slit-like, cut or formed orifices disposed along said distal horizontal portion in off-set, overlapping, staggered rows and columns in order to prevent laminar, flow reduce flow projections, and reduce admixing of incoming cold water with already heated water.

A water heater dip tube for improving efficiency, comprising:

• a wall having orifices formed therein for conducting an outflow of relatively colder water from the dip tube into relatively hotter water in an interior of a water heater;
• said orifices having a size, number, shape, pattern and location for at least minimizing turbulence, for reducing admixing near the tube, for diluting, equalizing and blending efflux flow and for reducing outflow force and speed;
• an upstream end and a downstream end, in water flow direction;
• and
• an end cap disposed at said downstream end and having said orifices disposed therein, said end cap having a frustoconical shape.

A water heater dip tube for improving efficiency, comprising:

• a wall having orifices formed therein for conducting an outflow of relatively colder water from the dip tube into relatively hotter water in an interior of a water heater;
• said orifices having a size, number, shape, pattern and location for at least minimizing turbulence, for reducing admixing near the tube, for diluting, equalizing and blending efflux flow and for reducing outflow force and speed;
• an upstream end and a downstream end, in water flow direction;
• and
• an end cap disposed at said downstream end and having said orifices disposed therein, said orifices becoming progressively longer or larger toward and in said end cap.